College

Piece of college football history gone Auburn poisoned oaks at Toomer's Corner coming down

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Auburn University's poisoned oak trees will soon come down, bringing an end to an era and a drastic change to the landscape.

Crews on Tuesday morning began removing the limbs of the landmark oaks, one by one. The trees are all but dead after being poisoned by a rabid fan of the University of Alabama.

Harvey Updyke Jr. is serving a jail term after pleading guilty to spiking the oaks with a powerful herbicide, and experts say they can't be saved.

So workers will use chainsaws and heavy equipment to remove what's left of the once-lush hardwoods at Toomer's Corner.

Auburn fans traditionally roll the trees with toilet paper after a big victory, and tens of thousands rolled the trees after the spring football game last Saturday.

Follow Us

Post a reader comment

We encourage your feedback and dialog. Please be civil and respectful.If you're witty, to the point and quotable, your reader comments may also be included on the Around the Towns page of The Sunday Republican. Readers must be registered and logged in to post comments on the site. Registration is free. Click Here to register.
A Subscription is not required to post comments only a Registration.